Girdle with wire control member



Jan. 3, 1967 H. M. HERBENl-:R

GIRDLE WITH WIRE CONTROL MEMBER 2 Sheets-Sheet l Original Filed Dec. 29, 1959 FIG. 2.

'lll/lill) 4 INVENTOR HENRY M. HERBENER 71H7 TMMWM ATTORNEYS.

Jan. 3, 1967 H. M. HERBENl-:R

I GIRDLE WITH WIRE CONTROL MEMBER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 original Filed Deo. 29, 1959 INVENTOR HENRY M. HERBENER ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent i 3,295,531 GIRDLE WITH WIRE CONTROL MEMBER Henry M. Herbener, 406 Remington Ave., Thomasville, Ga. 31792 Original application Dee. 29, 1959, Ser. No. 862,650, now Patent No. 3,148,681, dated Sept. 15, 1964. Divided and this application Sept. 11, 1964, Ser. No. 395,726 7 Claims. (Cl. 12S-533) This application is a division of my application, Serial No. 862,650, tiled December 29, 1959, now Patent No. 3,148,681.

This invention relates to foundation garments and aims to provide superior ladies girdles of improved construction.

Ladies girdles are intended and designed to lend support to, and enhance the appearance of, the wearer by elastically encircling and confining the portion of her body that extends upward from a point below the hips to a point which is about even with the upper portion of the abdomen or even higher. They should iit snugly against the wearers bodyso that the outline of the girdle or its ends will not make a visible line or bulge in the dress of the wearer and they should not cause discomfort to the wearer.

The avoidance of a visible line or bulge presents a particular problem at the top'of a girdle because such garments have a tendency to roll downward at the front as they are worn. This rolling tendency is due to the fact that, when the wearer stands in an erect position, the distance from a horizontal plane at the top of the girdle to a like plane at the bottom of the girdle is substantially the same at both the front and the rear of the garment. However, when the wearer stoops `or sits or leans forward, the distance lfrom the bottom to the top of the girdle at its rear is increased while the distance from the bottom to the top at the front is decreased. In conventional girdles, any tendency of the front to ride upward through this action is resisted by the connection, afforded by the garters, between the bottom of the girdle and the stockings of the wearer. The result is that the top front of the girdle tends to ride downwardly on the wearers body and to roll. A further difficulty that is encountered when the wearer of a girdle bends forward at the waist is that a crease is formed and as the fabric of the garment is then placed under additional circumferential tension, it tends to dig into such a crease causing acute discomfort to the wearer.

Various expedients have been resorted to to overcome the tendency of girdles to ride downwardly and roll at the top, and attempts have also been made to prevent the fabric of which a girdle is constructed from digging into the body of the wearer at the waist when she bends forward. Such attempts have included the provision, along the front of the girdle, of vertical stays of varying degree-s of stiffness; but when such stays have been stiff enough to prevent the fabric of the garment from digging into an abdominal crease as the wearer bends forward the ends of those stays jab against the body.

I have discovered that it is possible to overcome the diiculties referred to above through the use of a single control member which, for the first time, provides a girdle that gives vthe desired ysupport and improvement in the appearance of the wearer and is also comfortable. This is accomplished in accordance with my invention by incorporating in the front of the girdle a flat control member that is adapted to urge the top front of the girdle upwardly and counteract its tendency to roll and, at the same time, to provide a shield that slides over the surface of the abdomen instead -of jabbing into the wearer. Such a control member comprises a frame with a notched upper end, a rounded lower end and outwardly bowed legs extending over the abdomen to a point below the waistline and re- Ice 3,295,531

siliently connecting `the frame ends so that they can be moved toward each other. A stay extends downwardly from the upper end of the frame for sliding movement between the legs of the frame when its upper end is moved toward its lower end as the wearer bends forward.

It is a particular feature of my invention that the control member, which is made of wire, is contained in a pocket in the girdle in which it is self-centering and from which it may be readily removed. Thus, when the girdle is to be laundered, the wire control member may be separated therefrom if desired and it can be easily reinserted in the pocket therefor where it will resume the appropriate position to perform the functions intended for it.

A specific embodiment of my invention in the form that I now prefer is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation of my new girdle;

FIG. 2 is a section along the lines 2 2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary rear elevation of a girdle showing a modification of the control member and a pocket therefor;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary rear elevation illustrating a position assumed by the parts of the control member illustrated in FIG. 3 when the wearer bends at the waist; and

FIG. 5 is a section along the lines 5 5 of FIG. 3.

The girdle illustrated in FIG. 1 includes a generally tubular body-encircling portion 18 constructed of a fabric that is preferably elastic both horizontally and longitudinally. It is provided with a zipper 19 at one side and conventional garters 29 are attached to its lower edge. It may also be equipped at its sides and rear with a set of longitudinal stays such as the stay 21. A heart-shaped panel 23, which is preferably formed of an inelastic fabric, is attached to the body 18 at its front so that the top of the panel 23 coincides with the upper edge of the body 18. A rear panel 24, which is also preferably made of inelastic fabric, is stitched along its lower and side edges to the panel 23 to form a pocket 25. A flat control member 28 is provided for insertion in pocket 25 through the slit 25a which provides an opening into the pocket.

The control member 21S is constructed of a resilient spring steel wire Whose diameter is of the lorder of 38/1000 in., and which is coated with a rust-proofing material such as Celluloid. Such wire is bent into zigzag formation providing alternately arranged oppositely-facing loops which are generally radial. That control member 28 may be constructed of a single length of zigzag wire arranged in such form that it provides a frame having a notched upper end 29, a rounded lower end 3G and outwardly bowed legs 31, 31 connecting the ends 29 and 30 with each other. A stay 32 which extends downwardly from the upper frame end 29 terminates short of the lower frame end 30 and an auxiliary pocket 33 is provided therefor. The stay 32 is also constructed of zigzag wire but it may, if desired, be of a lighter weight than the wire forming the frame. For instance, I have 4found that spring-steel wire whose diameter is of the order of 3%000 in., is heavy enough for stay 32. The auxiliary pocket 33 is formed by stitching the edges, and, if desired, the bottom, of a strip of fabric 34 to the rear panel 24. The upper ends of wire forming stay 32 are closed by means y of a clamp 35 which also secures the ends of the zigzag wire from which the frame 28 is formed.

The dimensions of pocket 25 and control member 28,

vertical compression so that they resiliently urge the upper edge of the girdle in an upward direction. When the upper edge of the gidle is pushed downward, as by the wearer bending forward at the waist, the legs 31, 31' are Patented Jan. 3, 1967 free to slide across, and stay 32 may slide down over, the abdomen of the wearer; and when the wearer resumes an upright position, the legs 31, 31 and stay 32 may slide back to their initial position, urging the top of the girdle upward and counteracting its tendency to roll.

The control member 28 is prevented from tipping to one side or the other during the sliding motion of the legs 31, 31 and the stay 32 across the abdomen of the wearer by virtue of the fact that the rounded lower end 30 of frame 28 bears against a rounded lower Wall in the pocket 25; the legs 31, 31 merge with the upper frame end 29 through rounded corners which lit against the top of heart-shaped pocket 25; and the indentation 36 at the top of that heart-shaped pocket enters the notch 37 on the upper end 29 of frame 28.

The control member 40 illustrated in FIGS. 3-5 is designed for incorporation in a girdle intended for wear by a lady with a comparatively heavy ligure. It, like the control member illustrated in FIG. l, is at and includes a frame that is constructed of a resilient zigzag wire. That frame has a notched upper edge 41, a rounded lower edge 42 and legs 43, 43' connecting those upper and lower edges with each other. A central loop 44 extends from the upper frame edge 41 downwardly Ibetween legs 43, 43 and has its lower ends connected with the lower frame edge 42 by means of a clamp 45. The sides 46, 46 are connected adjacent their upper ends by clamp 47.

In the control member 40 additional support and shielding for the abdomen are provided by a pair of stays 48, 49 located between the sides 46, 46' of the central loop 7,44. The stays 48, 49 are preferably made of thin at strips of spring steel provided with a coating of rust-proof material such as Celluloid. The stay 48 extends downwardly from the upper frame edge 41 and is securely held in position by clamp 47. The stay 49 extends upwardly from the lower frame edge 42 and is held in position by the clamp 45.

The control member 40 is contained in a generally heart-shaped pocket 50 formed between a front panel 51, formed of inelastic fabric stitched along its edges to the elastic fabric 52 forming the body of the girdle, and a rear panel which consists of two sections, 53, 53', of inelastic fabric. Each of the sections, 53, 53', is stitched, around its outer side and the upper and lower portions of its inner side, tothe front panel 51, leaving a longitudinal slit 54 between the adjacent edges of sections, 53, 53', which provides an opening into the pocket for the ready insertion and removal of control member 40. A tape 55 is stitched along its side edges to the rontpanel 51 to provide a pocket 56 for the lower end of stay 48 and a pocket 57 for the upper end of stay 49.

When the wearer of a girdle equipped with control Y member 40 is in an erect position, the relation of the several parts of that control member to each other'is as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 5. The upper edge 41 of the flat frame bears against the upper front edge of the girdle and the resilient legs 43, 43 urge the top of the girdle upward and counteract its tendency to roll. However, those legs 43, 43 and the sides 46, 46' of the central loop 44 are adapted to bow outwardly from each other, respectively, when the top of the girdle is depressed through bending action of the wearer as illustrated in FIG. 4. At the same time the upper stay 48 slides downwardly over the abdomen and is prevented by the lower stay 49, which is positioned between upper stay 48 and the wearer, from jabbing into the wearers body.

VIt will be noted that in each of the modiiications of the control member embodying my invention that I have described the resilient outwardly bowed legs not only function to urge the top front of the girdle upward, counteracting Vits tendency to roll, but they also cooperate with the central stay to atten the stomach of the wearer when such wearer is in an erect position and to distribute across the abdomen of the wearer pressures to which such wearer is subjected when she bends forward at the waist. Furthermore, it will be understood that the terms that I have used in describing the specific embodiment of my invention that is illustrated in the drawings are terms of description and not of limitation, and various modifications canbe made in such specific embodiment without departing from the spirit of my invention as it is delined in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A ladys girdle comprising a flexible body-encircling end, a rounded lower end and outwardly bowed legs resil-` iently connecting said frame ends and adapted to move away from each other so that saidends can be moved toward each other, and having a stay extending downwardly from said notched end for sliding movement between said legs and terminating above said lower end.

2. A ladys girdle comprising a flexible body-encircling portion including a front having a top which is depressed by movement of the body and has a tendency to roll, and a at control member adapted to urge said top upwardly and counteract its tendency to roll and to shield the abdomen, comprising a frame with a notched upper end, a rounded lower e'ndtand outwardly bowed legs resiliently connecting said frame ends so that said ends can be moved Y toward each other, a loop extending between and attached to said frame ends and having sides adapted to bow outwardly when said frame ends are moved toward each other, and a stay attached to the upper frame end for sliding movement between the sides of said loop.

3. A ladys girdle comprising a flexible body-encircling portionincluding a front having a top which is depressed by movement of the body and has a tendency to roll, and a at control member adapted to urge said top upwardly and counteract its tendency to roll and to shield the abdomen, comprising a frame with a notched upper end, a rounded lower end and outwardly bowed legs resiliently connecting said frame ends so that said ends can be moved toward each other, a loop extending between and attached to said frame ends and having sides adapted to bow outwardly when said ends are moved toward each other, a stay iixed to the upper frame end and extending downwardly between the sides of said loop, and a second stay fixed to the lower frame end extending upwardly between the sides of said loop and adapted to prevent the lower end of said first-named stay from jabbing into the abdomen of the wearer.

4. A ladys girdle comprising a flexible body-encircling portion including a front having a top which is depressed by movement of the body and has a tendency to roll, a generally heart-shaped pocket extending downwardly from the top of said girdle at its front and provided with a slit leading to the interior of said pocket, and a ilat removable control member adapted to urge said top up-y wardly and counteract its tendency to roll and to shield the l abdomen, comprising a frame with a notched upper end engaging the top of said heart-shaped pocket, a rounded lower end engaging the bottom of said heart-shaped pocket and outwardly bowed legs resiliently connecting said frame ends, the dimensions of said pocket being such that said frame is under vertical compression and said legs are permitted to bow outwardly away from each Y attached to said front panel along its upper and lower y edges to provide a pocket with an opening therein, and a at removable controlV member adapted to urge said top upwardly and counteract its tendency to roll and to shield the abdomen, comprising a frame with a notched upper end engaging the top of said heart-shaped pocket, a rounded lower end engaging the bottom of said heartshaped pocket .and outwardly bowed legs resiliently connecting said frame ends, the dimensions of said pocket being such that said frame is under vertical compression and said legs are permitted to bow outwardly away from each other when the frame ends are moved toward each other.

6. A ladys girdle comprising a exible body-encircling portion including a front having a top which is depressed by movement of the body and has a tendency to roll, a generally heart-shaped pocket extending downwardly from the top of said girdle at its front, and a flat control member adapted to urge said top upwardly and counteract its tendency to roll and to shield the abdomen, lcomprising a frame with a notched upper end engaging the top of said heart-shaped pocket, a rounded lower end engaging the bottom of said heart-shaped pocket and outwardly bowed legs resiliently connecting said frame ends, the dimensions of said pocket being such that said frame is under Vertical compression and said legs are permitted to bow outwardly away from each other when the frame ends are moved toward each other, a stay extending downwardly from said notched end between said legs, and an auxiliary pocket located inside said lirst-named pocket and adapted to receive said stay for sliding movement therein.

7. A ladys girdle comprising a exible body-encircling portion including a front having a top which is depressed by movement of the body and has a tendency to roll, a generally heart-shaped pocket extending downwardly from the top of said girdle at its front, and a at control member adapted to urge said top upwardly and counteract its tendency to roll and to shield the abdomen, comprising 1a frame with a notched upper end engaging the top of said heart-shaped pocket, a rounded lower end engaging the bottom of said heartshaped pocket and outwardly bowed legs resiliently connecting said frame ends, the dimensions of said pocket being such that said frame is under vertical compression and said legs are permitted to bow outwardly away from each other when the frame ends are moved toward each other, a stay fixed to the upper frame end and extending downwardly between said legs, a second stay xed to the lower frame end and extending upwardly between said legs, and a strip of fabric having its edges attached to an inner face of said rstnamed pocket to provide an auxiliary pocket for each of said stays.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,644,946 7/ 1953 Menz et al 12S-567 2,864,377 12/ 1958 Montreys 128--533 ADELE M. EAGER, Primary Examiner. 

6. A LADY''S GIRDLE COMPRISING A FLEXIBLE BODY-ENCIRCLING PORTION INCLUDING A FRONT HAVING A TOP WHICH IS DEPRESSED BY MOVEMENT OF THE BODY AND HAS A TENDENCY TO ROLL, A GENERALLY HEART-SHAPED POCKET EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY FROM THE TOP OF SAID GIRDLE AT ITS FRONT, AND A FLAT CONTROL MEMBER ADAPTED TO URGE SAID TOP UPWARDLY AND COUNTERACT ITS TENDENCY TO ROLL AND TO SHIELD THE ABDOMEN, COMPRISING A FRAME WITH A NOTCHED UPPER END ENGAGING THE TOP OF SAID HEART-SHAPED POCKET, A ROUNDED LOWER END ENGAGING THE BOTTOM OF SAID HEART-SHAPED POCKET AND OUTWARDLY BOWED LEGS RESILIENTLY CONNECTING SAID FRAME ENS, THE DIMENSIONS OF SAID POCKET BEING SUCH THAT SAID FRAME IS UNDER VERTICAL COMPRESSION AND SAID LEGS ARE PERMITTED TO BOW OUTWARDLY 